Hime
by severelyobscure
Summary: The night that Mamoru was killed by Galaxia was the night that Sailor Earth awakened, having a dream that brought to light her past life, as Endymion's sister, the princess of the Earth. Now, Kat must protect Usagi and Mamoru from having their red ribbon (the love between soulmates) stolen, plunging them into a loveless darkness that would tear them apart.
1. The Awakening

A sudden gasp tumbled from her lips, as she flew up in her bed, clutching at her chest. She was bathed in a warm, golden hue that made her feel as if she were floating, even though she was firmly seated in her bed. _What's going on?!_ she wondered, incredulously. She had jolted awake from a crazy dream that seemed too real to be something her brain had just conjured up. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to conjure the images back up, like replaying a movie. She had no trouble, as the scenes flashed vividly in her mind. No, this wasn't a dream... this was _remembering_.

She saw a man clad in dark armor, with a flash of black hair, and beautiful dark eyes. He was smiling down at her, and she felt accepted, protected. His name... What was his name? _Endymion_. She felt familial love towards him... sibling love. And she loved him with everything that she had in her. But she also felt trepidation... he was leaving; leaving her behind once again. She wanted to help him so badly, but she needed to be protected. Why? What from? She pictured brainwashed, distorted humans, humans that would kill her without a second thought about it. And Endymion needed her to stay safe, to protect the Earth while he was away.

_Moon Kingdom_. He was going to the moon. _Princess Serenity_. The woman he loved. He was going to see her, even if was 'forbidden'. But he was also trying to find allies, to align the Moon Kingdom with the Earth, and protect it from those degenerated humans, who threatened to kill everyone on their planet, and establish reign over the Earth. She was scared, but she understood. He was going to unite his golden crystal with the silver crystal, and restore peace in the galaxy. Together, the moon and the Earth were going to banish this evil that fed on the human's energy. They were going to save the solar system.

Save for a few others, she was the only one who knew about his affair with the moon princess. And she swore to take it to her grave. But her anxiety turned to excruciating pain, when she realized her brother had been killed by Metalia, and _Queen Beryl_, along with the moon princess, Serenity. Grief took over her senses, and she fled from her protected hiding place, trying to do whatever she could to avenge her brother, so his efforts were not in vain. As soon as she made it out into the open, she was attacked by a barrage of toxic energy. But that same warm glow that she was feeling now, burst forth from her, protecting her, and turning her into a _sailor senshi_.

With this newfound strength, she was able to fight back, protect her people, and save her planet from destruction. But this was the downfall of the Moon Kingdom. To prevent the earth from suffering the same fate, she went underground, and using her own rose-gold crystal, entered a state of stasis, enveloping the world in her love, and power. The queen of the moon was able to seal the darkness away, in grief, after losing her only daughter. But before the queen could seal Metalia and Beryl away for good, one of Beryl's soldiers found the Earth princess' hide-away, disguised himself as one of Endymion's advisors, and plunged a dark sword her back. She died from the dark power that the sword was imbuged with, but not before she could eliminate him, herself, as her last dying act.

There was a name on her lips, as she slowly opened her chocolate brown eyes, staring at her room in a new way. She was never going to be the same again. She wasn't just Katrina Roun anymore. She was so much more than that. She had _powers_, she could help people, _save_ people. She was powerful, but she also wasn't alone anymore. Her brother was out there, somewhere, not too far away from her tiny studio apartment in Hakone. But he was in trouble. The _world_ was in trouble, once again. She had no choice. She had to act. But she had to do it in a way so as not to attract too much attention to herself. With one of the earth's guardians in danger, she was all the planet had left. Or so she thought.

With a deep breath, she opened her mouth, and whispered her new identity, "_Sailor Earth_."


	2. Outsider

Her first encounter with a phage was two days after her powers came to fruition. She was buying produce at the local market, down the street from her apartment, when a humanoid drone appeared, attacking people. As people began to sink to the ground around her, she watched as a beautiful flower bloomed before them, revealing a shining crystal. But what horrified her the most was as those crystals were marred with a dark miasma. This seemed to disappoint the phage, but it continued on, searing for the perfect 'star seed'.

With little to no hesitation, Katrina touched her earring, calling out "Earth Planet Power, make up!" Again, she found the rosy warmth enveloping her and before she knew it, she was standing in a blue and green fuku. She could feel the power coursing through her veins, and she knew just what to shout, to aim a torrent of energy at the phage, as if she had been doing this her whole life. It disintegrated before her very eyes, and much to her relief, people began to wake up.

The senshi, _Sailor Earth_, had to disappear fast, lest she be seen. Once she returned to her apartment, and her transformation had faded away, she cursed - she had left all her produce at the market. Now what was she going to do for dinner? That was the least of her worries. She quickly opened her laptop, and began scouring any news articles and videos related to the monster that had appeared before. There were numerous repots from Tokyo, stating that there were 'monsters' running rampant, but the _sailor senshi_ were always there to help, and save the day. Each article seemed to orbit one person especially, _Sailor Moon_. Who was she? Where did she come from? Though Kat got a feeling in her gut that she had something to do with her brother. What exactly their ties together, however, were unknown at the time.

After the first phage appeared, more started to show up, claiming to be looking for the shining _star seed_, but were disappointed every time that the star seed clouded over, rendering the human useless. Luckily, Sailor Earth was able to save most of the humans, eliminating the phages in the process. It hurt her to hurt these once human beings, but she could see no other way, until she fully understood the depths of her power. Until then, this was all that she could do.

Every night, always defeated a phage, it seemed, Katrina would return home, and immediately go to her laptop to look at the latest update on the phage attacks in Tokyo, that the sailor senshi seemed to have a grasp on. _One day..._ she thought. One day she would find out who Sailor Moon, and the other senshi were. She had the nagging feeling that she needed to be there with them, instead of her life-long home in Hakone.

Eventually the phages disappeared altogether. And one night, unlike any other, Katrina tossed restlessly in her bed. Something big was happening. Something she wasn't apart of. She felt left behind once again. She could see Sailor Moon, sobbing, and felt the bright lights of the other senshi being snuffed out, one by one. From her overhead view, she could see a woman that resembled a senshi... but the energy around her was a toxic miasma. _They're all going to die. There will be no one here to protect the earth but me. Again. I need to_ do _something!_ But she couldn't move, she could only watch.

As if drawn by some kind of magnetism, her eyes focused on a particular star seed that the evil senshi procured. It was gold and warm, not unlike her own crystal. It stole her breath. _Endymion_. She wanted to scream and cry, like losing her brother all over again, even though she didn't even know him in this lifetime. What she witnessed next stole her breath all over again. Sailor Moon transformed. _Princess Serenity..._ With her transformation, using her silver crystal, Serenity purified the malevolence in the other senshi, returning her to her true form, which radiated almost as much light and love as Princess Serenity, Sailor Moon.

And with a breath that she hadn't even realized she was hold exhaled, Katrina watched, with tears pricking her eyes, and _her Endymion_ appeared before his princess, along with the other ten senshi. It almost felt as if she were there with them. When she woke up, her temples were wet with tears she had shed in her sleep. She _longed_ to be with them. She _needed_ to be reunited with her brother. That was her next task. As soon as the sun would rise, she would go. It was time.


	3. Arrival

As the bullet train barreled through the country side, Katrina let out a deep sigh. She was nervous. He wasn't going to remember her... was he? Worse than not having his memories back, was him having the knowledge she existed and chose not to act on it. What if he didn't _want_ her in his life? What if the past was the past, and that's where it should stay? The blonde fidgeted with the little lucky neko ornament dangling from the zipper of her small backpack. It had been given to her by her last foster family, on her eighteenth birthday. It was the only home where she'd felt a semblance of 'belonging', and they were wishing her good fortune as she went out into the world on her own. Though she felt, at the time, that she had a purpose that she had to fulfill, one that she had no grasp on whatsoever. One that she couldn't find if she stayed in a home any longer.

Kat had always felt more drawn to animals than she did to humans. So, right out of high school, she began studying biology at an online university, from the safety of her new apartment, not too far from the home that had finally accepted her. She studied her classes diligently, up until the battle with that wicked senshi that stole the very life force of other senshis. All for what...? But in the end, it seemed she had just been a vessel for Chaos to sink its claws into her, and suck her into its noxious murk. But, being the princess of the moon (who knew?!), Sailor Moon had been able to purify the golden-glad senshi, banishing Chaos far away, hopefully for good this time.

But now that the threat was gone, maybe she could resume her studies at a _real_ college! The thought excited her so much, she squirmed in her seat a little bit, smiling to herself.

It seemed like a long journey from Hakone-Izu to Tokyo, proper. And how would she even find her brother once she got to that great big city? How would she find the other senshi? Would they welcome her, or would she be an outlier in their eyes? It made her stomach nervous, and she had caged up butterflies that made her squirm any more. _Ah! When is this ride going to end?_ she thought, with anxiety flitting around her gut.

Once she arrived, she grabbed her duffle bag, that held enough clothes and toiletries for a few days in the big city. She slung the back and her tiny backpack over her shoulders, and debarred the sleek mode of transportation. She watched as people boarded, and the train once again went on its way. It hadn't been her first time on a shinkansen, but it had been long enough that she had been excited to ride it again, and she was still in awe of the technology behind creating one of the most innovative modes of transportation around.

She couldn't help but smile at herself. She may have been nineteen years old, but sometimes she was still a child inside. Maybe it had to do with her unstable upbringing, and having to be her own adult before she ever legally was one. She slowly ascended the stairs, to above ground and stared in awe at the high rise buildings, and the almost golden Tokyo tower. It was almost magical being here; surreal, at least.

Now... where to start?

Kat pulled out a map and eyed the whole thing before folding it up, and stowing it back away in her mini backpack. She had a photographic memory, which definitely came in handy in times like these. But still... where should she start? How was she going to mind Endymion and Serenity and the rest of the senshi, that on some level, she knew she belonged with. Though she had a gut feeling a few of them were going to have a hard time trusting her at first. But Endymion was the only family that she had ever had, and now that she knew that he was out there and _alive_ (she would have to thank Sailor Moon for that, later), she could just sit idle and deal with these memories herself. Not after being nearly alone her entire life. She _needed_ him. She just hoped that he felt some semblance of the same way toward her.

The blonde haired, brown eyed former-princess of the planet furrowed her brow and thought for a minute, before making her way to the nearest cafe, called the Crown Parlor. She had a chai tea to perk herself up, and then sat there, outside, just people watching. Then, she felt a pull, as if she were a precious metal, and there was a strong magnet nearby. The pull was instinctual, something deep in her core, something from _another lifetime_. She had to go. She had to go right now! She left her mostly finished cup of tea sitting on the cafe table under the quaint umbrella, and followed the invisible rope that kept tugging her alone. She couldn't ignore it even if she wanted to. She was going one way or another, she might as well go with it.


	4. Unbreakable Bond

As if being pulled by an invisible source, Katrina found herself walking right through the Juuban downtown district. At this time of day, people were just getting off of work, and there were throngs of people all around her. It felt strange. It wasn't nearly _this_ populated in Hakone. Her eyes widened slightly as she realized her destination. A small park. It was beautiful. Japan's aesthetic never ceased to amaze her, even though she'd spent all her life there, and had only ever left the country once, to visit a famous zoo in Europe, where she was sorely disappointed with the architecture, and especially the _food_. She had been a young teenager then, but she didn't feel any urge to leave, now. Could it be that she was drawn to this country for the same reasons she was being drawn to whom she sought out? Was this all part of her... reincarnation, or whatever this was?

She was lost in thought, when there was a sharp tugging at the peripheral of her vision. Her head snapped up and her eyes widened. _Oh my god..._ There he was, just sitting on a bench in the shade, reading a thick looked so studious in his black t-shirt and olive cardigan with a pair of impeccable blue jeans, and some deep-brown Doc Marten's. She watched him for what felt like an eternity. Sucking in a deep breath, she strode across the perfectly manicured grass, between all the bonsai trees, like something about of Studio Ghibli movie or something. Her heart was pounding so wildly in her chest, she could faintly make out her heartbeat through her shirt.

"Eh... Endymion?" she whispered, so quietly that she had barely even heard herself. His head snapped up, and he stared at her with trepidation, before they turned steely and hurt her. From what she remembered, her brother _never_ looked at her in that way before. She'd seen the look on face his a thousand and one times before when dealing with unsavory people. It was a scare tactic, but also self preservation. If the enemy couldn't see past your first line of defense - your eyes - then they couldn't find a chink in your armor.

After a pregnant pause, he spoke lowly, his voice calloused. "Excuse me?" His voice was sharp, cutting her to the bone. Again, he had _never_ taken that tone with her, no matter the battle waging outside. He was always warmth, protection, love, and comfort with her. But this... this couldn't be him, could it?

"I'm sorry, I completely mistook you for someone else. _Gomennasai_." She turned quickly to leave, but a strong hand grabbed her by the elbow, holding her in place.

"How do you know that name?" he said, lowly, trying not to cause a scene.

She swallowed the lump that had been gathering in her throat. "Oh, you know, one of those silly things that must have come to me in a dream! S-Sayonara!" She tried pulling away, but he wouldn't budge, therefore, neither would she. She licked her lips (when did everything become so _dry_?) She glanced wearily over her shoulder at the man's smolder. She couldn't talk now, even though she _so badly_ wanted to. She had a million questions for the man before her, yet she dared not say his name out loud again, for fear, with how tightly he was gripping her upper arm.

At that moment, it was as though he had finally broke through a thick fog, that blinded and choked him. His eyes turned sharp, as though seeing her for the first time. He slowly released his grip, and she quickly made space between the two of them, not wanting to experience that indifference from him again. _Where's my brother? Where is Endymion?!_ she wanted to shout at him.

"Tell me about your dreams," he demanded. She knew that she could trust him, if there was any part of her brother that was still in there. She glanced around them, around the park. She didn't know why, but she didn't want to tell him about this whole secret life she'd been living, this tale of reincarnation, these powers... in front of other people. But it was a weekday and the park was sparse. She could see why he came here to read. He didn't seem to be waiting for anyone.

"Can I..." She swallowed, thickly. "Can I _show_ you?" She suddenly felt shy, which was probably one of the last words someone would use to describe her. His eyes narrowed, but at the same time, his demeanor seemed to soften just a little bit. Her breath caught in her throat. _There he is. There's my brother!_ With a new, hardened resolve, she reached up, and touched his temples. She breathed out slowly, as she closed her eyes. Her fingertips glowed a warm rosy hue, and she pictured her dreams, her _memories_, letting her energy merge with his. Somewhere, in the peripheral of her senses, she heard his breathing, it quickened with the memories. When she finally pulled away from him, his deep blue eyes were looking at her with a mix of awe, and what she'd most hoped for - recognition.

"Kat," he breathed her name, enveloping her in a tight embrace. She was taken aback and tears sprung to her eyes.

"E-Endymion..." She wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and let out a small cry. She still wasn't comfortable showing much emotion in public, and she hadn't been entirely sure how he was going to respond to her. This was more than she had hoped for.

"I'm so sorry I never came back for you, Katrina. I'm so, so sorry." He moved his hand to the back of her head, soothing her like he used to.

"You couldn't help it. You had to be with her, you had to save Serenity!"

"M-Mamo-chan?" An unsure voice came from behind them. They pulled away from their embrace, and Kat gasped when she saw the petite female looking at them, quite confused, almost hurt.

"Serenity?" Kat looked quickly between the princess and her brother. He smiled sheepishly, and reached out for the small blonde.

"Usako, this... this is..." He took a deep breath, unsure of how to explain his sister reincarnate to... his princess reincarnate?

Katrina bowed deeply to the other female. "I'm Katrina. I'm Endymion's sister."

"Endymion?" she repeated slowly. The pieces seemed to be slowly coming together for her. That's right, she had called him by a different name. "You're Mamo-chan's sister?"

"Princess Serenity, I heard all about you, but I never _dreamed_ that I would ever get to meet you." The blonde smiled at the other blonde.

"M-Me?" She looked shocked, her hand touching her chest lightly.

"Usako, I never told you about Kat because... well, because I couldn't. For her safety, I couldn't ever tell _anyone_ about her. And then... I didn't remember," he said, full of remorse.

"It's not your fault E..." she trailed off, not sure what his name in this life was.

"Mamoru," he offered her. "Chiba Mamoru. This is..."

"Tsukino Usagi!" the blonde offered, instantly bubbly, offering out her hand, in greeting. "I'm Mamo-chan's-"

"Fiance," he finished for her, smiling. The smile touched his eyes, just like it always used to, when he talked about his princess.

"Roun Katrina. It's a pleasure to meet you, Usagi." Kat happily took her hand. She was so warm, and comforting. Katrina was instantly soothed, though she didn't know she even needed to be. This girl was purity personified, just like her brother had always described her. She surely didn't fall short of her expectations. "I can't believe we're finally meeting. I... after I lost Endymion, and I heard that you... Well, I never thought I would ever have the chance." She smiled. "It's truly an honor."

Usagi blushed. "What... What _did_ Mamo-chan say about me?" she asked, hesitantly.

"Here." Taking, both of the smaller woman's hands in hers, Kat closed her eyes, sharing her memories with Usagi. When she stepped back, she had to laugh. Usagi's mouth had fallen open. She looked up at Mamoru, and then back to Katrina. Then a single tear fell down her cheek.

"Your story, it's so... tragic." Usagi instantly enveloped Kat in a hug, squeezing with all of her might.

Kat chuckled. "I can't say yours fared any better than mine."

"But you had to _hide away_ all of that time! Weren't you so lonely?" Usagi stepped back, her big blue eyes peering into Kat's.

Kat swallowed. "Well... yes... but..." She wasn't sure what to say to that. Of course she was lonely. Her brother was all that she had. Aside from the shittenou that stood bravely by Endymion's side, and hers, by proxy, there was really no one that was allowed close to her.

"Well, you don't have to be lonely now! You have me, and Mamo-chan, and oh! You have to meet my friends! Mamo-chan and I were just going to meet them for parfaits and cake at Crown! Will you come with us? You have to come with us!" She instantly linked arms with her and Mamoru, tugging the two of them along, with such strength from her tiny little frame. Kat laughed, she liked this girl. She liked her _a lot_.


	5. Introductions

Nerves that were uncharacteristic of her were flitting around in her stomach, as Usagi tugged at her and Mamoru's arms, pulling them toward Crown parlor.

"Ooh, I can't wait to introduce you to my friends! Another senshi! This is so exciting!" the tiny blonde bubbled, as the sliding doors parted for the trio.

"How many others are there?" Kat asked, betraying her own nerves.

"Well, there's..." Usagi stopped to think, counting silently on her fingers. "Ten of us? If you include Chibimoon and myself."

"_Ten?!_" She was not expecting that many.

"Oh! But don't worry, not everybody is here all the time. Haruka and Michiru and Setsuna and Hotaru kind of like to... keep to themselves. And Chibimoon is in the future with Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion," she continued to babble on.

"Endymion? Neo Queen...?" Kat stopped walking, and looked up at her brother, who went by the same name in a previous life, with her, and Princess Serenity.

Usagi stopped walking and looked back at the siblings. "Eh... uhm... yeah. So... Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion are me and Mamo-chan in the future. And Chibiusa is their... _our_ daughter." Usagi poked her two pointer fingers together a couple of times, sounding slightly embarrassed.

It was Kat's turn for her mouth to fall open slightly, at a complete loss for words. So Usagi continued. "Chibiusa - Chibimoon - comes and visits us here, in the past, sometimes. She also comes to see Hotaru - they're best friends, you see."

Kat closed her eyes for a moment. She just spent the past few months trying to wrap her head around her _past_. But there was a _future_ world she had to think about too? She couldn't help but smile, though. The idea that the prince and princess still existed in another time made her happy. "Well, I can't wait to meet her sometime."

"I guess that would make her your niece!" Usagi exclaimed, excitedly, now that she knew she didn't freak Kat out.

"So, then, if she's from the future... Does she already know about me?" The question tumbled from Kat's lips before she could swallow it. It didn't want to impose on their lives in any way, and that question almost felt too close to the line.

Usagi and Mamoru exchanged an unsure glance. "Eh... She hasn't _said_ anything about you, before," Usagi started, carefully.

"Yeah, but, I only became aware of your existence after you did. So maybe, your... awakening will start to spark something in all of our memories?" Mamoru was quick to offer.

"Yeah, yeah!" Usagi agreed just as quickly. She grabbed Kat's and Mamoru's hands, pulling them along again, as she walked backwards towards a booth full of four other girls and two... cats?

"Usagi-chan!" A blonde with a red bow stood up, beaming. All the girls looked up at the sound of Usagi's announcement. They looked like they were going to greet her, but their voices stuck in their throats at the sight of the newcomer.

The girl with the blue bob spoke up first. "Who's your new friend, Usagi?"

Kat suddenly felt very under the microscope. All she had planned on doing was meeting her brother today. But she'd already met him, his fiancé - the moon princess - heard of their _daughter_, and she was meeting other senshi, that she had only had a very faint knowledge of just until an hour ago. Her face felt hot - was she blushing?

"This is Roun Katrina! She's... well..." Usagi stopped again, looking up at Kat and Mamoru, as if asking them to finish explaining for her.

Mamoru cleared his throat and put his free hand on Kat's shoulder. "This is my sister, from the Silver Millennium."

"Whaaat!?" All four girls - and the cats - cried at once, in disbelief.

"Your sister!?" the raven-haired girl repeated, the words almost sounding funny on her tongue. "Mamoru, honestly, how long have you been keeping this a secret from us?" she demanded.

"He didn't know," Kat was quick to jump in. "I just... found him today. I only got my memories back a few months ago."

"Right around the time Galaxia... killed me." Mamoru added.

"Wait, what!?" Kat's head snapped up. "You died _again_?"

Mamoru quickly put up his hands in defense. "Yeah... When you showed me your memories, I saw more than just _our_ past, I saw your life up until... well, today, really."

"Kat is a sailor senshi, just like us!" Usagi added, with much excitement.

The girls began throwing a barrage of questions at Mamoru and Katrina.

"Here, here, let me just show you," Kat offered. She glanced around, there weren't many people in the Crown parlor, so she felt fairly safe letting the other girls see her past. She wasn't aware that her past also included her transforming for the first time in the present and fighting the phages, which she assumed came from this Galaxia that her brother had mentioned. The girls each put a hand in the middle of the table, fingertips touching, and Kat hovered her hand over theirs. Her signature rosy-golden glow illuminated her fingertips and warmth flooded over the other girls' hands. They were all silent as the memories merged in their minds. Kat also sensed the two cats presences in the peripheral of her mind.

They all opened their eyes as Kat pulled her hand back. They blinked slowly, and looked at her with new eyes. Not recognition, but _acceptance_. The warmth that squeezed at Kat's heart was new and unfamiliar. She'd never had so many people around her before.

"Sailor Earth," the brunette said, wonder in her voice.

They each began to introduce themselves - Minako, Sailor Venus, Makoto, Sailor Jupiter, Rei, Sailor Mars, Ami, Sailor Mercury, and even the two cats - Artemis and Luna. They all moved to make way for her to sit amongst them. Mamoru excused himself, kissing Usagi atop her head, saying something about really needing to study, and he was so, so sorry, but he promised Usagi and Kat that they could all get together for dinner that night. Kat wasn't in the least bit nervous about her brother leaving her behind with these girls she'd only just met. It felt like she'd _always_ known them, Usagi especially.

Conversation quickly bubbled up, about school and studies, and eating and sleeping and gaming (courtesy of Usagi, herself). It was clear the girls had a deep bond, one that went far beyond them just being sailor senshi. The girls asked where Kat lived, where she went to school, what she did for a living, etc.

Kat tucked some hair behind her ear, looking down at the strawberry parfait sitting in front of her (one that Usagi had insisted that she try). "Well... I live in Hakone right now... but I've been looking at moving here and studying at Keio University. I want to continue studying biology, with an emphasis at animal husbandry and conservation. I'm currently a vet tech at one of the best vets in Hakone, but I want to be able to do much more."

"So like, zoology?" Ami asked, smiling gently at her.

"Yeah, exactly like zoology, actually. I would love to work at the Tokyo zoo, eventually. But that seems like such a long ways down the road. Especially after discovering who I really am. But it's gotten so quiet since you beat Galaxia, that I feel like I might be able to dedicate more of myself to my studies."

Ami nodded sagely. "Being a sailor guardian can be a lot of work, itself. But I've been able to maintain my studies and honor roll, so it's not impossible." Usagi and Minako groaned and rolled their eyes a little bit.

Kat laughed. "I take it you two aren't too fond of school?"

Rei smorted. "Usagi avoids studying like the plague. And her grades show how vested she is in her 'studies'."

"Why should I try to memorize something I'm going to forget immediately? And it's something that's not so important anyway, not like being Sailor Moon is!" Usagi's voice grew louder with determination.

"Shhh!" The girls were quick to shush her, and she hung her head slightly.

Kat laughed. "You're such good friends."

"What about your friends, Kat-chan?" Usagi asked, innocently.

Kat wasn't used to the affectionate nickname. It made her feel warm and welcomed. "Well... I don't really have friends outside of my coworkers back home, really," she admitted, quietly.

"Don't worry, we'll be your friends, from now on!" Usagi cheered. "Especially if you're going to move here! Oh, you _have_ to move here! Us scouts have to stick together!"

Kat smiled at her. "You really think so?"

"Of _course_ I do! You can't stay alone! Especially now that Mamo-chan knows he has a sister. Mamo's parents... they died in a car accident when he was younger. So he's never had any blood relatives around. He was an orphan when he was younger. But I'm his family now! I could be... your family too, if you would let me." Usagi offered a soft, small, genuine smile. Kat couldn't help but feel the warmness spread through her. Though there was something that tugged sadly at her heart. How her brother grew up, it didn't sound too much different than her upbringing. Though her parents hadn't died. They had just given her up. She spent most of her life feeling unwanted, and like she didn't belong. But here, now, sitting with the five other girls, and knowing that Mamoru was in her life, it felt like she'd never really been alone at all.

That night, Usagi and Katrina went to Mamoru's apartment. When they walked in, the rich smell of home-cooked udon ramen warmed the sparse living-space.

"I don't cook often," Mamoru admitted, when he saw Kat eyeing the cooking food. "But this felt like an extra special occasion." He smiled at her and rested his hand atop her head, like he always used to do. It made her smile, fondly.

Everything about this day had gone so much better than she had expected it to. In fact, she had been pretty sure that she wasn't even going to find her brother on this short trip at all. At the very least, she would check out Keio and talk to some professors, to see if it would be a good fit for her. But here she was, with her brother, and her new-found friend, whom she felt as if she had known her whole life. Usagi was purity and goodness and sunshine and love. It was no wonder she was Sailor Moon, and Princess Serenity. Even when she wolfed down her double chocolate parfait, leaving whipped cream and chocolate on her face, somehow Kat could still envision her as the princess of the Moon Kingdom. Even when she bickered with Rei in a losing argument, she could see it. Even when she tripped over the lip of the step up into Mamoru's apartment, Kat couldn't shake the vision of who Usagi once was; who she was destined to be.

"It looks so delicious, En- Mamoru," Kat said, whilst Usagi peered over her shoulder.

Usagi giggled. "Mamo-chan, it looks soooo yummy! Much better than the instant noodles that Mama buys me!"

Mamoru laughed, and turned his affections to his fiancé. He slipped an arm around her waist, kissing her tenderly. Kat turned away. She wasn't used to this level of love, or any sort of stable relationship. Because of the way she'd grown up, and the deep-seeded feeling that there was something so very different inside of her, none of her relationships had lasted past the one year mark. And that was only a one time thing. All of her other relationships lasted far less, it seemed. Not that she minded - it had given her time to focus on her studies, and her job. But seeing her brother and Usagi together, Katrina felt a pang in her chest.

Quietly, she pulled herself away from the small, but open kitchen, and padded around Mamoru's living space. It was very minimalistic, and she got the feeling that he didn't spend a whole lot of time here, save for sleeping. It was very clear that Usagi didn't spend more than a bit of a time here, either, as there wasn't a woman's touch to be seen. Not even a trace of clothing.

"Oh, Mamo-chan! Katrina-chan is looking at enrolling at Keio!" Kat perked up at the sound of her name, and looked at the couple in the kitchenette, mainly her brother. He had one raised brow.

"Oh really? What for?" He sounded genuinely interested.

"Biology. _Zoology_ to be more specific."

"Yeah! Yeah! She wants to work at the zoo. Wouldn't that be so cool, Mamo-chan? She could spend all her days working with cute little animals!" Usagi was so animated.

Mamoru smiled at Kat. "That doesn't surprise me. From what I can remember, you were very much an animal-whisperer, even when you were a little girl." It sounded weird having someone refer to her at such a young age. She was used to people knowing that part of her. No one had ever stuck around long enough to even try and learn.

She laughed, a little self conscious now. "I guess I did spend a lot of time in the gardens, and the woods, getting to know the animals in the area."

"Ooh. Like a real-life Snow White?" Usagi sounded fascinated.

"Well... I never _sang_ to them." Kat's face was a little flushed. She wasn't used to all of the attention, and positive feedback she was receiving from both of them.

Kat was absolutely flabbergasted when she saw the way Usagi wolfed down three full bowls of ramen, not even waiting for them to cool down, and gasping and whining every time she took an especially hot bite. "Where does it all go?" Kat asked, half joking.

Usagi shrugged.

"That's what I wonder, all the time," Mamoru said with a chuckle.

Once they were all finished, Usagi and Kat stood in the kitchen, cleaning the dishes.

"You and Mamoru are really close, huh?" Kat asked. Usagi was happily wiping the dishes dry, and putting them away, as she went.

"Of course!" she answered, without missing a beat. "I mean... he's my soul mate. And if time has proven anything to us, it's that we'll always find our way back to each other, every time." Usagi grew quiet for a moment, as if she were deep in thought. "I mean, Queen Beryl killed and brainwashed him, but he came back. Then, he was receiving warning dreams from King Endymion in the future, warning him that he might be my downfall. So we broke up. But he came back. And the Dark Moon Circus was draining his crystal with their powers, while they were here. But he never went anywhere, at least not completely. And then Galaxia... killed him. I thought he was just overseas, studying in America, and he didn't have time for me. But he came back, once I defeated the Chaos in Galaxia."

"You know what I'm hearing?"

"What's that?"

"That you, and your love, have saved him time and time again. Without you battling to protect this planet, and everyone on it, none of us might be here right now. I really wish I had gotten to know you sooner, Usagi." Kat's voice had grown a little softer, a little more quiet.

Usagi stopped wiping, and peered up at the other woman. "But... you're here _now_, and that's all that matters, right?" She smiled so brightly, the room seemed to glow with her energy.

"Right." Kat smiled warmly back at her.

"Usako!" Mamoru burst from his bathroom, in dark grey sweatpants, his hair still dripping wet from his shower. His voice was urgent. "People are being attacked downtown!"


	6. Insult to Injury

They were in action, leaving the apartment immediately. They ran, transformed, with their breaths in sync, and their footsteps echoing each other. Sailor Earth was vaguely aware of the other senshi joining them, falling into the group like dropping shadows onto the concrete beneath their feet.

As they had left Mamoru's (now Tuxedo Kamen) apartment, Usagi had pulled up the girl's on a compact communicator, gathering and spreading information about the attack in the downtown Juuban district. Some person was attacking couples that were making their ways home from work, or heading out to dinner on a date. The couples were losing consciousness as a red ribbon appeared tying the wrist of one person to another was severed between them.

"What are they after, do you know?" Mars had asked the collective group. No one knew.

"Do we know what we're looking for?" Venus asked, not sounding the least out of breath.

The group was silent as they ran.

They could hear screams coming from people fleeing the scene, trying to put as much distance between them and the assailant as possible.

As the senshi arrived, they spread out to surround the offender, cutting him off from attacking any more couples. Tuxedo Kamen made his way around to the four different pairs of people, checking their vitals to see if they had only lost consciousness, or the situation was far more grave than that.

"That's enough!" Sailor Moon shouted.

The seemingly normal looking man (except for his black armored garb, and his unsettling black eyes, like a demon) laughed. "I only take my orders from a higher power, and you don't seem to possess enough to sway my allegiance!"

"Then you're highly underestimating us," Venus said, holding a heart-linked chain taut between her hands. Sparks crackled between Jupiter's hands, flames engulfed Mars', and there was a chill from Mercury's direction.

Sailor Moon held an ornate staff in one hand, staring down the man. "I will not allow you to continue to maim the love that transpires between people. I am the pretty solider senshi, Sailor Moon! And in the name of the moon, I will punish you!"

Earth felt like she'd heard that mantra over and over before, though she had never known Sailor Moon personally before (though she had known _of_ her). But she felt like this familiarity she was experiencing was coming through her bond with her brother, Tuxedo Kamen, who was standing on the outskirts, in case he needed to further protect the fallen. One look at him, and she knew that everyone was still alive. But it didn't make the situation any less dangerous, or seriousness.

Sailor Moon began to call out her attack, "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy-"

The guy scoffed. "Don't bother, princess," he said, using the term in the loose pet-name sense, not her identity as Princess Serenity. Suddenly his body blurred right in front of them, and he vanished.

All the girls stared at where he had been only moments before, unsure about what had just happened.

"Where did he go?" Jupiter asked Mercury.

"Just a sec..." Mercury twisted her left earring, and a visor manifested in front of her eyes. She began furiously typing on a small compact computer. "He's... he's gone. There's no heat signature where he was before. And his energy has completely disappeared from the surrounding area. He's not here anymore."

"What a weirdo," Sailor Moon started. The senshi all stopped, as one of the couples began to stir. Sailor Moon gasped. "Naru? Umino?" She must have known them. When their eyes opened, that same hate-filled, completely black gaze fell upon each other. They began to shout, coming for each other, as Tuxedo Kamen stepped in between the two, before they could physically assault each other. The words they were saying, the seething in their voices, it wasn't indicative of a couple in love. They wanted to rip each other to shreds, if not with their bare hands, then with their weirds. Even Earth winced at the words they were spitting at each other.

"Stop it!" Moon cried out, running over to them. "You two _love_ each other, you always have!" Earth could hear the quivering in her voice, how on the verge of tears she was with each insult they snarled, and name they hurled at one another. "Stop! Please!" she cried. But she wasn't able to focus on her friends, as the three other pairs began to wake up, in the same state, going for their lovers' throats. Venus, Mars, and Jupiter stepped between each pair, to keep them from physically assaulting one another.

"What the hell is going on?" Earth asked, more to herself than the others. "What did that guy do?" She watched, and listened as the couples said the most vile things between the two of them. Soon, police units, and paramedics, arrived on the scene. Not used to being in the public eye, Sailor Earth quickly disappeared from the scene, like a spooked cat. She waited in the shadows until the other senshi were able to safely disperse, the police intervening between the shouting couples, putting them all in separate cars.

She waited until they shed their transformations, and walked in an inconspicuous group, away from ground zero. Once she was in her civilian clothes, she joined the group. They walked in silence, until they reached a shrine. It was the Hikawa shrine, and apparently, it was Rei's. They all sat around on the walkway, in the moonlight.

"Is that anyone you've ever fought before?" Kat asked. She knew that the senshi had been in action far longer than she had, and had seen many more enemies. Maybe this was a straggler, coming back for revenge?

"I've never seen anything like it, before," Minako murmured, staring at the ground, deep in thought.

"His energy signature was completely different," Ami added, frowning.

"What he did to Naru and Umino..." Usagi trailed off. Her eyes were swimming with tears. Mamoru put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close, kissing the top of her head.

"Those were your friends?" Kat asked. Usagi nodded, silently. "I'm sorry," Kat said, quietly. "From what I heard from some bystanders that knew the other couples, they were all deeply in love. They were soulmates, it seemed."

"Something about that red ribbon being cut..." Rei trailed off, deep in thought.

"There's a folktale that's told about a red ribbon, or a string, that connects soulmates, and guides them to one another throughout all of their lives," Makoto spoke up, with her brows furrowed.

"But what's the point in going around, severing it? What does anyone gain from that?" Minako wondered aloud.

"It just causes pain and chaos," Mamoru murmured, rubbing Usagi's shoulders. She looked distraught. Kat felt the compelling need to comfort her as well, but she didn't want to overstep her boundaries. Really, she'd only met her earlier that day. Even if it did feel like a lifetime.

"Maybe that _is_ the goal? To just _hurt_ people?" Kat wondered.

"But... that doesn't make any sense," Minako said.

"When has anything the bad guy has ever done made any sense?" Rei snorted.

"But they usually gain _something_ from it," Usagi said quietly, into Mamoru's chest.

"I think we need to keep an eye on these couples over the next few days, and see what develops," Luna said, sagely. The group nodded in agreement.

"I have to head back to Hakone," Kat said, regretfully. "But I have a lead on a possible apartment, and a job, that I'm going to follow up on in a couple of days. I'll try to come back here as soon as possible."

"You're not going back tonight, are you?" Usagi asked, sounding worried. Kat nodded.

"It's a little late," Mamoru said. "Why don't you stay with me for the night, and then you can go back tomorrow?" he offered.

Kat's eyes widened slightly. "Oh no, I couldn't do that. I really don't want to impose on any of you."

"You're not imposing at all." He smiled at her. She felt so warm, and accepted. So she agreed. They dropped Usagi off at her house before walking back to Mamoru's apartment. "You sleep in the bed, and I'll take the couch tonight," he said, as he began to make up the couch.

"No! No, Mamoru, you stay in your bed. Please don't go out of your way just for me."

He chuckled. "Why not? You're my sister. Please." He gestured to the bed, again. She hesitated, until Mamoru gave her a look that said 'I won't take no for an answer, now get in there'.

She smiled and turned toward the bed, before pausing and turning back to Mamoru. "Can I... Can I hug you?" she asked, hesitantly. Without saying a word, he walked over to her, and wrapped his arms around her. "You never have to ask, Katrina. You're family. And if you need to stay anywhere while you're looking for your own place, you are more than welcome to stay with me, until you do. If that helps."

He smelled crisp and clean and warm. Not unlike how he used to smell. She closed her eyes, and for a moment, she was transported back to their past lives. Back to a flourishing, beautiful earth, with a luminous moon above, that seemed to shine just for them. Endymion smelled of the ocean, and the sky, and the earth. He smelled like home. But he also smelled like roses and lavender, a smell that was unique to him after he came back from visiting his princess on the moon. A smell that she now associated with Usagi.

That night, Kat saw the man with the soulless, black eyes in her dreams. He was smirking triumphantly. Her throat constricted when she saw two bodies behind him - Usagi and Mamoru. Except they were as Serenity and Endymion. Their were blank, lifeless, loveless. Katrina began to run toward them, as Sailor Earth. But no matter how fast she ran, she couldn't get close to them. They began to fight, not with words, but with their powers. They attacked each other relentlessly, blast after blast after blast. Katrina watched in horror as they slowly killed each other. Around them, the earth began to crumble, and the moon was black in the sky. Terror pooled in Earth's gut.

A deep, chilling laugh froze her. She couldn't see where it was coming from, but it wasn't from the man from before. It was off in the distance, somewhere above them. She looked wildly around, through the thick miasma of despair around her. But everywhere she looked, she only saw a shredded red ribbon, she saw Endymion and Serenity fighting. She saw the lights going out in the planets above. But she couldn't see who was orchestrating the entire catastrophe. She called out to her brother and Serenity, but they couldn't hear her. They were killing each other. Their powers were dying along with them. They fell, like limp rag dolls, with no life left in them.

Kat cried out, and jolted awake. She didn't recognize her surroundings, and her heart was throbbing rapidly in her chest. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself as she looked around. She finally spotted Endymion - _Mamoru_ \- sleeping on the couch. He looked peaceful, unlike his warring image that was stuck in her head. He must have sensed she had woken, or maybe he hadn't even been asleep at all, but he sat up, and ran his long fingers through his hair, ruffling it. He turned in the couch, and caught her eye. After seeing the wild panic in her dark eyes, he strode across the room, and took a seat at the foot of the bed. He rested a hand on her knee.

"I think I know what they're here for..." she whispered, hesitantly. "They're here for you and Serenity. I don't know why... or how... but they're here for you."


End file.
